.. and now you can buy Gaza as well
In an instant, the residents of Gaza transmogrified from people to pawns on a global chessboard who can be moved from place to place.
By Neta Ahituv • Translated by Sol Salbe
Rewriting History
In his book The Anarchy: The relentless rise of the East India Company, Scottish historian William Dalrymple describes how the commercial shipping company became the most powerful corporation in the world, which in effect instigated and created the British Empire. The company was founded in 1599 and a few years later received a monopoly from the British Crown on the trade routes between England and Asia, which made it an insatiable monster. Under the guise of business activity, the company established military bases and conquered territories, so that by the end of the 17th century it had to all intents and purposes controlled the entire Indian subcontinent and commanded the largest private army the world had ever known.
Reading the book now is frightening: there is a great similarity between the attitude towards humans and natural resources as means of fulfilling the aspirations of a small elite and what we see today. Nothing has an existence in itself, it can only a tool or a “problem” that needs to be disposed of. Even these days, we are pawns in the hands of Internet shipping companies. It is not surprising that US President Donald Trump has adopted Elon Musk — both hold this exploitative and imperialist mindset.
This thinking has turned all Gazans from people into pawns on a global chessboard, who can be moved from place to place. The Gazans are just an easy problem for Trump, and how do you solve problems in Muskian America? With money, of course. You can buy power, you can buy outer space, and you can also buy Gaza (sorry, “relocate” all its contents). Trump’s statements are reminiscent of the colonialist imperialist mindset of the East India Shipping Company. We’ve already been in this story — a great empire that removes away from its path any obstacles to the realisation of its influence.
Students of the British Empire are familiar with the Battle of Plassy, which took place in 1757. In history lessons, they learn about the bravery of the British warriors against the Bengali barbarians and how they won a glorious victory. In the book The Anarchy we learn that it was the East India Society that was behind the bloody battle. The company offered the Bengali bankers and financiers money to abandon the Bengali ruler, who refused to cooperate with it, and thus the British conquered Bengal, opening the way for the conquest of India and the dramatic declaration “We are now the absolute masters” (which is somewhat reminiscent of the phrase used about the settlers “Masters of the Land” [Usually rendered in English as Lords of the Land).
Incidentally, one of the annual reading recommendations of then US President Barack Obama also included The Anarchy. Trump has certainly not read the book, and it is doubtful that he has even heard of its existence, or of the existence of history books in general, but he is certainly working tirelessly not to apply any lesson learned in the blood of so many people from that dark chapter in history, while he is confidently leading us into a new chapter in imperialism.
